Vegas Weekender: Kick off 2010 with a Vegas trip

The holidays are finally over and it’s the first Thursday of a brand new decade.

What better way to spend the start of 2010 than in Las Vegas? So, call in sick, find a sitter and pack your bags.

Here’s a look at what we’ll have waiting for you once you get here:

Shows

Headliners taking the stage in Las Vegas

If you’re more in the mood to be entertained rather than to be the entertainment (meaning no pole dancing for you), the following shows are just a sampling of what will be taking the stage this weekend:
David Spade at the Venetian, performing Jan. 7 – 10 at 9 p.m. Laugh away the fact that you’ve already broken all 12 of your resolutions.

Bette Midler at Caesars Palace Jan. 7 – 13 at 7:30 p.m. The showgirl must go on and so must time, embrace 2010 with all the hits from the People’s Diva.

Roll the dice, see the Dice Man, that’s sort of the same thing, right? Andrew Dice Clay motors into town at the Riviera Jan. 7 – 10 at 10:30 p.m.

Clubs

Dance, drink, flirt, etc. at a Las Vegas nightclub

Dance, drink, flirt with strangers and do all of those things that are normally reserved for your living room at a club in Las Vegas this weekend. Speaking of which, why are all those strangers in your living room?

It’s a revolution over at Rain with Z-Trip’s Revolution (“A Party for the People”), catch Z-Trip and Too $hort Jan. 8 at Rain inside the Palms at 11 p.m. He spells his name with a dollar sign. You know something awesome is bound to happen.

There’s a Penthouse photoshoot finals event at Pure inside Caesars Palace on Jan. 8. While there’s definitely something witty to say about that, “Penthouse” and “photoshoot” pretty much sell themselves, don’t they? Plus, Jeremih performs there on Jan. 12 so you should probably just set up camp.

Ready to feel old? The original Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Kristy Swanson, celebrates her 40th birthday at LAX in the Luxor on Jan. 9. If you see a group of pale people outside the venue waiting to be “invited” in, those are vampires and that’s vampire code. Proceed with caution. (And if you return to LAX on Jan. 13, assuming you survived those vampires, you’ll be able to see Chamillionaire perform.)

You’re not going to want to leave anyway, so why not plan to stay through Tuesday to catch DJ Sharam from Deep Dish at Blush in the Wynn on Jan. 12. Doors open at 9 p.m. and, really, how much work were you going to get done back home anyway?

Be one of the first to test drive a brand new club

In the mood to test drive a brand new club (or at least something that still has that new club smell)?

Sin City welcomed three new clubs to town on New Year’s Eve and it’s early enough in the year that you can still be the first of your friends to check them out.

Try out Vanity at the Hard Rock Hotel, Haze at Aria (CityCenter) or Eve at The Crystals (also CityCenter) and get ready to do some bragging. We’ll back you up if you want to tell them there are hoverboards and inverted gravity.

Events

Sports, art among the weekend’s attractions

Can’t sit still long enough for a show, but still not ready to debut your newest dance moves at a club? We don’t blame you, the public just isn’t ready for a running man/worm combo, but don’t worry, there’s still plenty to do here.

While the men are on the road in New Mexico, UNLV’s Lady Rebels will do battle with the Lobos on their home turf at the Cox Pavilion, at 3 p.m. on Jan. 9.

Now that you’ve walked and walked and not gotten lost once in CityCenter, take a look at the ideas behind it. The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art houses “12 + 7: Artists and Architects of CityCenter.”